Semiautomatic chain link fence weaving machine

ABSTRACT

Chain link fence weaving apparatus includes manually shuttled shaft mounted for reciprocation along its longitudinal axis and also rotatable thereabout, a handle extending laterally from the shaft for use in moving the latter. Wire bent into zigzag shape is advanced into a guide tube parallel with the shaft, this tube being formed of two concave sections hinged together along longitudinal edges thereof. One section of the tube is swung toward and away from the other section by rotating the handle about the shaft. Movement of the shaft along its axis causes it to rotate between two angular positions, in one of which a first set of hooks on the shaft engage chain link fabric held between the longitudinal edges of the tube sections and in the other of which a second set of hooks on the shaft engage the fabric. Thus, the fabric is permitted to move upwardly from the tube when the movable section of the latter is swung away from the fixed section, but one set of hooks always limits the distance the fabric moves. Shaft is shuttled after each strand of fabric wire is woven so that the next strand will engage the fabric. A switch on the handle initiates feed of fabric wire into the tube, and a switch inside tube stops feed when the wire reaches a predetermined point.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Peter H. Ellis 545 Parkway Apt. 18, C hula Vista, Calif. 92010 [21] Appl. No. 877,704 [22] Filed Nov. 18, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 24, 1971 [54] SEMIAUTOMATIC CHAIN LINK FENCE WEAVING MACHINE 8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

[521 [LS Cl 140/927, 140/92.8, 140/9294 [51] Int. Cl B2lf 27/04 [50] Field of Search 140/3, 92.3, 92.7, 92.8, 92.94; 29/2405 {56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,096,080 5/1914 Wagner 140/927 FOREIGN PATENTS 542,388 11/1955 Belgium 140/923 Primary Examiner-Lowell A. Larson ABSTRACT: Chain link fence weaving apparatus includes manually shuttled shaft mounted for reciprocation along its longitudinal axis and also rotatable thereabout, a handle extending laterally from the shaft for use in moving the latter. Wire bent into zigzag shape is advanced into a guide tube parallel with the shaft, this tube being formed of two concave sections hinged together along longitudinal edges thereof. One section of the tube is swung toward and away from the other section by rotating the handle about the shaft. Movement of the shaft along its axis causes it to rotate between two angular positions, in one of which a first set of hooks on the shaft engage chain link fabric held between the longitudinal edges of the tube sections and in the other of which a second set of hooks on the shaft engage the fabric. Thus, the fabric is permitted to move upwardly from the tube when the movable section of the latter is swung away from the fixed section, but one set of hooks always limits the distance the fabric moves. Shaft is shuttled after each strand of fabric wire is woven so that the next strand will engage the fabric. A switch on the handle initiates feed of fabric wire into the tube, and a switch inside tube stops feed when the wire reaches a predetermined point.

PATENTEI] AUB24I9H 3,601,163

sum 1 OF 5 INVENTOR. PETER H. ELLIS BY w b. W

2 TIE PATENTED AUG24I97I 3.601; 163

SHEEI 3 [1F 5 3 INVENTOR.

I PETER H. ELLIS BY W PATENTED AUG24|97I 3.601.163

sum 5 [1F 5 A l l l l A 'INVENTOR.

PETER H ELLIS CHAIN LINK FENCE WEAVING MACHINE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION SEMIAUTOMATIC hemicylindrical sections, or guides, which are hinged together along longitudinal edges thereof. One of the guides is fixed in position with its upper longitudinal edge disposed above the wire advanced from the weaving blade, and the other guide is movable toward .and away from the fixed guide by means of a manually operated control handle. Chain link fabric is arranged so that a horizontally extending lower edge portion thereof can be clamped between the upper longitudinal edge of the fixed guide and the free longitudinal edge of the movable guide (i.e., the longitudinal edge of the movable guide which is not hinged to the fixed guide), More specifically, the aforesaid guide edges hold the last woven strand of the fabric in stationary, vertical position while the next wire strand is advanced into the weaving tube formed by the two guides and is simultaneously rotated to thereby engage it with the clamped strand. A switch button mounted on the control handle is pressed by the operator of the machine to operate the weaving blade. when the rotating strand has advanced along the length of the fabric being formed, it contacts a limit switch and operates in the latter to disengage the weaving blade from the driverneans associated therewith. A shaft is mounted below the .weaving tube and disposed parallel therewith, this shaft being journaled in bearings so that it can move along its Iongitudinal axis and also rotate thereabout. The control handle is mounted on the shaft so that it extends laterally therefrom and so that it can be rotated about the longitudinal axis thereof while being fixed against movement axially of said shaft. Two sets of hooks are also mounted on the shaft so as to extend laterally and upwardly therefrom, one set of the hooks being disposed on the side of the weaving tube which is remote from thecontrol handle and the other set of hooks being disposed on .the side of said tube which is next to the handle. The hooks of one of the two sets are always extended over the weaving tube as a wire strand is being advanced therein, with the ends of these hooks disposed within selected diamonds of the woven fabric. As the control handle is pulledby the machine operator either toward or away from the weaving blade, the woven fabric is thus moved with the shaft by the hooks engaged therewith. After each wire strand is woven the operator cuts'it at the end of the fabric adjacent the weaving blade, the tube being opened to permit access to the wire. The fabric extends over a pair of rollers located above the weaving tube in such manner that a portion :of said fabric which hangs from one roller is longer than the portion thereof which extends I from the other roller to the weaving tube. Thus, when the operator'opens the weaving tube by rotating the control handle downwardly, the fabric travels upwardly until the second set of hooks engages the wire strand which was disposed within the weaving tube before it was opened. Since the suc: cessive'strands are cut so that their crossed ends at the edges of the fabric extend in opposite directions (said crossed ends beirig" subsequently bent backwardly on their own lengths to Iockjithe sarne together at the edge of the fabric), the fabric mustbel'shifted a distance equal to one-half the distance between the horiiontaIIy aligned points of its diamonds after each strand thereof is woven and cut, so that when the next wire is 'advanced into the weaving tube it will engage the fabric; As the handle is moved by the operator to shift the shaft andthe fabric, the shaft automatically rotates about its longitudinal axis to disengage one set of hooks with the fabric and to move the second set of hooks over the weaving tube at points spaced from the points where the disengaged hooks were located. The operator then actuates the drive mechanism which advances the wire into theweaving tube. As the wire is being woven the operator twists the control handle to thereby actuate automatic means for bending the-crossed ends of the wire strands at the edges of the fabric. The foregoing steps are repeated to weave the fabric.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a weaving machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the same machine, viewed from the side thereof which is on the left in FIG. 1, certain components being omitted from the'drawing because its scale is too small to clearly show the structure thereof.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic representationsof two dif ferent actuating machine. I

FIG. 5 is a detail view of I certain components of the machine, taken along the plane representedby line 5," 5 in FIG. 1 and in the direction indicated by arrows associated with said line, the drawing being simplified by omission of certain components which would be seen when the apparatus is viewed in the indicated direction, different positions of a con trol handle of the machine being'illustrated by and broken lines, respectively.

FIG. 6 is a detail view of other components of the machine, I

taken along the plane represented by line 6-?6 iriIFIG in the direction indicated by arrows associated with sa d line,

the drawing also being simplified by omission of some cornp ne t FIG. 8 is'a fragmentary rear elevation of components illus' tratcd in front view in FIG. I, the drawing illustrating a different position of certain of said components by broken lines.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view ,of certain components hidden from view in FIGS. land-2. 7 FIG. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation of the components illustrated in FIG. 9,with one of the two rollers which are shown in the latter drawing omitted so that other components can be seen.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary front elevation of certaineo'mponents hidden from view in FIGS. 1 and 2, one of the two sections of a wire guide tube of the machine being omitted from the drawing so that other components can be seen.

FIG. 12 is an end elevation of'the components illustrated in FIG. 11, taken along the plane'represented byline 12-12 in the last-mentioned drawing and" in the direction indicated by arrows associated with said line.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In FIGS. 1 and 2 reference number 20 designates a sheet" metal cabinet having an access opening in the front side thereof and a door 22 hinged tofone edge of said opening. ln-

side the cabinet are various conventional components required in the operation .of theillustrated apparatus,inclu ding a pump for pumping lubricating oil to wire forming components referred to hereinafter, an air compressor a storage tank for air pressurized by thecompressor, and adrive motor .cabinet 20.CIutch 28 is actuated by a solenoid powered latch mechanism 42 to thereby engage the aforesaid ,drive motor with, and disengage it from, weaving shaft 30. A flat-weaving blade 44 is fixedly attached at one end thereof to the end of systems which may be employed in said weaving shaft which projects from pillow block 34, the longitudinal axis of said blade being horizontally disposed and coaxial with said weaving shaft. Blade 44 extends .coaxially through a tube 46 which is mounted on a support 48 attached to baseplate and which has a helical slot extending around its periphery. As will be recognized by persons skilled in the manufacture of chain link fence, weaving blade 44 and tube 46 are conventional components which cooperate to form wire into zigzag shape on said blade when it is rotated and the wire is pulled through the helical slot in said tube. In the disclosed apparatus fence wire 50 is drawn from a coil placed on the floor adjacent cabinet 20 through a guide ring 52 mounted on an arm 54 extending upwardly and outwardly from the top of said cabinet, over a pulley 56 mounted between the supports 58 which connect the guide ring to arm 54, thence to a conventional multiroller tensioning assembly located behind support 38 and designated generally by reference number 60, and finally through the helical slot in said tube to the weaving blade, which as it rotates advances the wire to the left in FIG.

Attached to cabinet 20 is a support comprised of an angle bar 62 mounted along the edge of said cabinet which lies under the free end of blade 44, a tubular member 64 which is connected at one end to the upper side of angle bar 62 and extends perpendicularly therefrom in vertical alignment with said blade, a horizontally disposed angle bar 66 attached at one end to the upper end of member 64, a plate 68 secured to the lower side of the other end of angle bar 66, a horizontally disposed member 70 (see FIG. 2) attached to said plate and disposed perpendicular to bar 66, two vertically disposed tubular posts 72,76 connected to opposite ends of member 70, a base member 78 fixed to the lowerv ends of said posts and having leveling screws 80 threadedly engaged within apertures therein, and another vertically disposed tubular post 82 (see FIG. 1) which is mounted on bar 66 and projects upwardly therefrom. The longitudinal axes of posts 76 and 82 lie in the same vertical plane, and a tubular member 84,86 is slidably disposed within the aperture in each post and held in a selected position by a pin 88,90 which passes through a pair of horizontally aligned holes extending through the wall of said tubular member on opposite sides thereof and which rests on the upper edge of said post, a plurality of said holes being spaced apart vertically on each tubular member. Thus, the arrangement of 'posts 76,82 and members 84,86 permits adjustment of the height of components mounted on the upper ends of said members, which components will be described hereinafter.

As can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, a wire guide tube, desi gtia id generally by reference number 92, is mounted on angle bar66 and extends lengthwise'thereof in parallel relation therewith. More explicitly; tube 92 is formed of two substantially hemicylindrical sections 94,96 (referred to hereinafter as guides) which are connected along their lower longitudinal edges by hinges 98. Guide 96 is secured to the front side of the vertically disposed leg of angle bar 66 by screws 100 which pass through holes in said guide and holes in said leg and-'engagenuts 102. As can be seen in FIG. 5, when guide 94 is 'rotated toza' first angular position relative to guide 96 the two'mernberstog'ether' form a tube having a longitudinally extending slot at'the top thereof. The longitudinal axis of the tube thus formed is coincident with the longitudinal axis of blade 44, the free end of which terminates at a point near the ends of guides 94,96 which are adjacent cabinet 20. Furthermore, the upper longitudinal edge of guide 96 is substantially disposed in the vertical plane which includes the Iongitudinal axis of said blade.

Bolted to the horizontally disposed leg of angle bar 66 and depending therefrom are three support members 104A-104C each having a bearing 1.06 mounted in a hole in the lower end thereof. A shaft 108 is mounted in bearings 106 for both rotation about its longitudinal axis and translation thercalong, which axis is parallel with the longitudinal axis of blade 44. FIGS. 5 and 8 illustrate an assembly which controls the operadesignated generally by reference number 112 and formed of a first tubular section 114 fixedly connected to tube and a second tubular section 116 rotatably positioned within said first section and projecting therefrom, a collar 118 fixedly disposed around tube 110 and located between control handle 112 and support member 104C, a screw 120 threadedly engaged within a hole in collar 118, and a link 122 one end of which is pivoted to section 114 of the control handle and the other end of which is pivoted to a lug 124 fixedly secured to guide 94 adjacent the free longitudinal edge thereof (each end of link 122 is provided with a spherical bearing so that the link can pivot in any direction relative to handle 112 and lug 124). As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 8, two slots 126,128 are forrned in the wall of section 114 of handle 112 on iopposite'sides thereof and extend circumferentially thereof, a-pin is fixedly positioned in holes extending through the wall of section 116 of said handle on opposite sides thereof and extends through said slots and projects from said section 114, and a spring 132 is connected at one end to said pin and at the other end to a small lug 134 projecting from section 114. Hence, the spring pulls pin 130 to the end of the upper slot 128 which is nearest support member 104B. A three-way air valve 136 is fastened to the lower sideof angle bar 66 and comprises an actuating button 138 which is engaged by the upper end of pin 130 when the control handle assembly is shifted to the first position thereof which is illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 8, and section 116 of handle 112 is twisted by the machine operator in the clockwise direction, as the apparatus is viewed in FIG. 1. When the control handle assembly is in the same position, the head of screw 120 engages the actuating button 140 of a second three-way air valve 142 which is also fastened to the lower side of angle bar 66. A collar 144 is mounted on shaft 108 and fixed in position thereon by means of a setscrew, said collar abutting the end of tube 110 adjacent handle 112. The other end of tube l10abuts a lever arm 146 which is mounted on shaft 108 and extends laterally from the side thereof remote from handle 112, said lever arm also being fixed in position on the shaft by means of a setscrew. Thus, the control handle can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of shaft 108 to thereby swing guide 94 between the first angular position relative to guide 96 which is illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 5, and the second angular position relative to said guide 96 which is illustrated by broken lines in the same drawing, but I the handle is fixed against movement axially of said shaft and the latter moves with the handle when it is shuttled toward or away from weaving blade 44. Movement of the control handle assembly and shaft 108 toward the weaving blade is stopped when lever arm 146 contacts support member 104C (as illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 8), and movement of the same components away from the weaving blade is stopped when a collar 148 which is fixedly mounted on the shaft contacts the other side of the same support member (as illustrated by broken lines in the same drawing). For a reason which will become apparent hereinafter, the extent of translation of shaft 108 is equal to one-half of the distance D indicated in FIG. 8.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, a machine screw 150 extends through a spherical bearing in one end of a link 152 and into a threaded hole in the free end of lever arm 146. A machine screw I54 likewise extends through a spherical hearing in the other. end of link 152 and into a threaded hole in the rear side of angle bar 66. When shaft 108 is shifted toward blade 44 and lever arm 146 abuts support member 104C, the shaft is rotated to the first angular position, relative to angle bar 66, which is illustrated in FIG. 6. However, when the operator shifts shaft 108 away from blade 44 (by manually moving handle 112 to the left in FIG. 1) to thereby bring collar 148 into abutment with support member 104C, link 126 causes the shaft to rotate to the second angular position, relative to angle bar 66, which is illustrated in FIG. 7. This rotation of shaft 108 serves to rotate two sets of hooks which will now be described.

In FIG. 1 each of four identical hook assemblies mounted on shaft 108 is designated generally by reference number 156. As illustrated in FIG. 8, each hook assembly comprises a tubu- 'lar member 158 slidably and rotatably mounted on shaft 108 and formed with a larger diameter portion 160 at one end thereof, a setscrew engaged within a threaded hole in said portion 160 for fixing said tubular member in a selected axial and angular position on the shaft (i.e., for fixing the tubular member at a selected point along the shaft and with a particular point on the member in a selected circumferential position relative to the shaft), a pair of lever arms 162,164 slidably and rotatably mounted on the smaller diameter portion of said-tubular member and each having an aperture extending through the free end thereof, setscrews respectively engaged within first threaded holes in said lever arms for fixing said lever arms in selected axial and angular positions on said tubular member, first and second hooks 166,168 respectively slidably and rotatably disposed within the apertures in said lever arms, and setscrews respectively engaged within second threaded holes in said lever arms for fixing said hooks in selected axial and angular positions within said apertures. The four first hooks 166 are positioned in the apertures of their lever arm 162 so that they extend upwardly on the side of angle bar 66 remote from handle 1, 12 and so that their upper ends curve forwardly, the free ends of the first hooks being spaced from the slot at the top of tube 92 when shaft 108 is in the aforesaid first angular position relative to angle bar 66 which is illustrated in FIG. 6. The four second hooks 168 are positioned in the apertures of their lever arms 164 so that they extend upwardly on the side of angle bar 66 adjacent handle 112 and so their upper ends curve rearwardly, the free ends of the second hooks extending across the slot at the top of tube 92 when shaft 108 is in its first angular position. When shaft 108 is rotated to the second angular position which is illustrated in FIG. 7, the free ends of the first hooks 166 extend across the slot at the top of tube 92 and the free ends of the second hooks 168 are spaced from said slot.

In FIGS. 1, 11 and 12 reference number 170 designates generally an assembly which includes an electric switch connected in series with an electric switch mounted within section 116' of handle 112, the operating button 172 (see FIGS. 5 and 8) of the latter switch projecting from an aperture formed in the wall of said section 116 on the upper side thereof. Assembly 170 comprises a U-shaped block 174 the legs of which are apertured to receive shaft 108 with a sliding fit. A collar 176 is slidably mounted on .the shaft between the legs of block 174 and is formed with a threaded hole in which a screw 177 is engaged, a bar 178 being fixedly connected to the outer end .of the screw so that it can readily be turned into said hole to thereby fix the collar in a selected position on the shaft. A bar 180-is fixedly connected at one end to block 174 and extends upwardly therefrom around the rear side of angle bar 66 and over guide 96 to a point disposed above the slot at the top of the tube 92 formed by said guide 96 and guide 94. An L- shaped member 182 (which for the purpose of interpretation of a claim appended hereto is to be considered as cooperating with bar 180 to form an arm extending from block 174 into tube 92) is fixedly attached to the upper end of bar 180 as illustrated and extends into said tube to a point below its longitudinal axis. An aperture 184 extends through the lower end of member 182 in coaxial relation with the longitudinal axis of blade 44, and a rod 186 is slidably disposed within aperture 184 and extends from-opposite end thereof. Mounted on the end of the rod which is nearest blade 44 is a contact designated generally by reference number 188 and comprised of a cylindrical portion 190 fixedly secured to the rod by means of a setscrew and an integral disk 192. A collar 194 is fixed in position on the other end of rod 186 by means of a setscrew. An electrical switch 196 is mounted on one side of member 182 with its actuating member 198 engaged with collar 194 when rod 186 is positioned as illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 11. To hold collar 194 against actuating member 198 until rod 190 is displaced to the position illustrated by broken lines in the same drawing, a spring 200 is disposed around said rod between contact 188 and member 182. An electrical lead 202 extends from switch 196 through a hole 204 in member 182 and is connected into a series circuit with the solenoid powered latch mechanism 42 associated with clutch 28 and the switch mounted within section 116 of handle 112, as will 6 arms 206,208 are connected to said members, the longitudinal axis of this rail being parallel with the longitudinal axes of rollers 210,212 and equidistant therefrom. As can be seen in FIG. 1, a pair of tubular slides 218,220 are slidably mounted on rail 216 for movement axially thereof. Each slidecarries components which are illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, but these components are oriented in opposite directions on the two slides so that they can operate on opposite sides of the wire;

fabric which is woven on the disclosed machine and a portion of which is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 and designated therein by reference number 222. Thus, as illustrated in FIG.10 each slide is provided with a setscrew 224 which is engaged within a nut 226 welded to the lower side of the slide and in register with a hole in the wall thereof. A bar 228 is mounted on the outer end of each setscrew 224, and thus thesetscrews can conveniently be turned into engagement with rail 216 to fix slides 218,220 in selected positions. A pair of support plates 230A,230B are welded to the upper side of each slide 218,220 at one end thereof and project perpendicularly therefrom, and

the base portions 232,234 of two U-shaped links, respectively I designated generally by reference numbers 236,238 in FIG.

10, extend between these support plates and are rotatably connected thereto by means of machine screws 240,242 the shanks of which respectively pass through holes in plate 230A,

said holes. Mounted on the free ends of the arms 248A, 2488, 8

250A, 2508 of links 236 and 238 is an elongate platform 252, the shanks of two machine ,screws 254,256 respectively. passing through holes in arms 248A,250A, holes in saidplatform, holes in arms 2488,2508, and into engagementwith' nuts 258,260. Thus, the mounting arrangement of the platforms 252 on slides 218,220 is such that when links 236,238 rotate from the position which is illustrated in FIG. 10 by broken lines to the position which is illustrated in the same drawing by solid lines, the platforms are swung upwardly toward rollers 210,212 and also outwardly toward the adjacent ends of said rollers, the platforms being maintainedin parallel relation with rail 216. This movement of each plat pivoted to the adjacent end of platform 252. A second single acting, spring return pneumatic actuator 274 is fixedly mounted on a bracket 276 attached'to the opposite end-of each platform, this actuator extending horizontally froml the platform and its piston rod 278 being disposed above the upper surface of said platform in parallel relation with rollers 210,212. Fixedly mounted on the free end of piston rod 278 is a knuckling fork which is designated generally by reference number 280 in FIG. 10 and which comprises a block 282 and two knuckling plates 284,286 secured to said block by machine screws. A pin 288 is fixedly disposed within a hole in the upper side of platform 252 and projects perpendicularly from said side between knuckling fork 280 and the end of said platform which is connected to first actuator 262.

In the embodiment of the invention which has been described hereinabove, actuators 262 and 274 are operatively connected with valves 136 and 142 and with the air storage tank within cabinet 20 by conduits arranged as schematically illustrated in FIG. 3. More particularly, a conduit 290 extends from the aforesaid air storage tank to valve 142, and a conduit 292 extends from said valve to branch conduits 294,296 which are respectively connected to the actuators 262 on slides 218,220. A conduit 298 is connected to conduit 292 and valve 136, and a conduit 300 extends from said valve to branch conduits 302,304 leading to the actuators 274 respectively mounted on the platforms 252 on said slides.

FIG. 4 illustrates the actuating valves and conduits employed in a modification of the described apparatus. In this modification a control handle 112' is mounted on shaft 108 in the manner described in connection with control handle 112, but handle 112 does not include the rotating section 1 16 and pin 130 incorporated into handle 112. The three-way valve 136 employed in the system of FIG. 3 is omitted in the system of FIG. 4, and in place thereof a conduit 306 extends from conduit 292 to a quick-dump valve 308, said conduit 306 having an orifice 310 therein. A conduit 311 extends from valve 308 to branch conduits 312,314 which lead to actuators 274. Actuators 262 are connected to valve 142 exactly as in the FIG. 3 actuating system.

OPERATION When chain link fence (hereinafter referred to as fabric for convenience) is woven by the disclosed apparatus a previously formed section of the fabric 222 is placed over rollers 210 and 212 so that one end thereof hangs from roller 210 and extends to tube 92 and the other end thereof hangs from roller 212. The portion of the fabric which hangs from roller 212 must be longer than the portion of said fabric which extends from roller 210 to tube 92 so that the weight of the fabric hanging from said roller 212 will cause the fabric hanging from roller 210 to move upwardly from said tube when the machine is cycled by the operator. As fabric is woven, it piles up on the floor where it periodically is wound into a roll by the machine operator.

More particularly, before the machine is operated the lowermost stand of the portion of fabric adjacent'tube 92 is disposed as illustrated in FIG. 6 and the ends of one set of the first and second hooks 166,168 are disposed over the strand next to the-lowermost strand. In FIGS. 6 and 8 one of the second hooks 168 is shown in engaged relation with the fabric. Since guide 94 can be swung to the position which is illustrated by broken lines in FIG. 5, the previously woven fabric can readily be placed in the proper position and engaged with a selected set of the hooks. The person operating the machine then grasps section 116 of control handle 112 with his left hand and lifts the handle to thereby bring the upper longitudinal edge of guide 94 into engagement with the upper portion of the lowermost strand, with the handle and shaft 108 being shifted to one end of their axial travel. FIGS. 1, 6 and 8 illus trate the positions of components of the apparatus when handle is shifted to the closest position it can take relative to blade 44, in which position of said handle lever arm 146 abuts support member 104C, lever arms 164 are rotated to a position which extends the ends of second hooks 168 over the upper longitudinal edge of guide 96, and lever arms 162 are rotated to a position which spaces the ends of first hooks 166 from the slot at the top of tube 92. The operator then depresses switch button 172 with his left thumb, which energizes the solenoid of latch mechanism 42 so that clutch 28 engages the drive motor within cabinet 20 with weaving shaft 30, thus rotating blade 44 and advancing wire 50 into tube 92. As the rotating wire advances through the tube its end is woven in interlocking relation with the zigzag strand clamped between guides 94 and 96. When the end of the rotating wire strikes contact 188, rod 186 is displaced to the position illustrated by broken lines in FIG. 11. When collar 194 abuts member 182 the actuating member 198 of switch 196 is held in the position which closes the series circuit including the switch in handle 112 and the solenoid of latch mechanism 42. When collar 194 moves away from member 182 the series circuit is opened by actuating member 198 and clutch 28 disengages weaving shaft 30 from its drive motor, which stops the advancement of wire 50 into tube 92. The operator then moves handle 112 downward to swing guide 94 away from fabric 222 and with a cutter held in his right hand cuts the wire which has been advanced into the tube, the wire being cut in alignment with the right-hand edge of the fabric (as the fabric is viewed from the front of the machine). It can be seen in FIG. 9 (which illustrates the left-hand edge of the fabric) that the ends of the wire strands alternatively extend obliquely upwardly and downwardly. The ends of the strands at the right-hand edge of the fabric are of course crossed in the same manner as on the left-hand edge, and therefore the wire which is advanced into the tube is alternately cut so that the end segment of the strands alternately project upwardly and downwardly. Hence, if the fabric were not shifted after each strand is woven, the end of the rotating next strand advanced into the tube would not wind around the last woven strand but instead would rotate in the spaces between the diamonds of the fabric. However, if after each strand is woven the fabric is shifted, axially of roller 210, a distance equal to one-half the distance D indicated in FIG. 8, then the next strand advanced into the tube will engage the last woven strand. This shift of the fabric is effected manually by the operator, who shuttles handle 112 (and thus shaft 108 connected therewith) toward or away from blade 44 after each strand is woven into the fabric'and cut. In the continuation of the operating sequence described hereinabove, the operator moves handle 112 so as to move collar 148 on shaft 108 into abutment with support member 104C. As shaft 108 is translated it is also rotated by link 152 and lever arm 146 to the second angular position thereof which is illustrated in FIG. 7. This rotation of the shaft retracts the ends of second hooks 168 from the fabric and rotates the ends of first hooks 166 over the slot at the top of tube 92. The spacing between the first and second hooks on each assembly 156 is equal to one-half the distance D indicated in FIG. 8. Since guide 94 is rotated away from the fabric (the operator having moved handle 112 downwardly so that he could cut the last woven strand of wire), the fabric moves upwardly until the strand which was clamped with the tube until it was opened engages first hooks 166, leaving the last woven strand of wire in position to be clamped between guides 94 and 96. The operator then lifts handle 112 upwardly to engage guide 94 with the fabric and depresses button 172 to again advance wire from blade 44 into tube 92. It should be noted here that the tube serves to keep the rotating wire in proper alignment with the strand of the fabric which is clamped between the upper longitudinal edges of guides 94 and 96. After the second strand of wire has been woven into the fabric initially placed on rollers 2 10 and 212, the operator shuttles shaft 108 toward blade 44, and the described steps are repeated in sequence to weave the required length of fabric.

Each time the operator shuttles handle 112 toward blade 44 to shift the fabric in the same direction and lever arm is moved to the position illustrated in FIG. 8 (i.e., into abutment with support member 104C), when handle 112 is raised to clamp the fabric between guides 94 and 96 the head of machine screw contacts the actuating button of valve 142 and the resultant upward movement of said button opens said valve so that compressed air is supplied to the inlet of valve 136 and to actuators 262 mounted on slides 218 and 220. The piston rods 270 of actuators 262 are thus extended and platforms 252 are lifted to the position illustrated in FIG. 10, bringing pins 288 into engagement with the crossed ends of two strands of wire at the left-hand and right-hand edges of the fabric, respectively, as illustrated in both FIGS. 9 and 10. The operator then presses switch button 172 on the control handle to weave the next strand, and as the wire is advancing into tube 92 the operator rotates section 116 of the handle to bring pin 130 against the actuating button 138 of valve 136, which opens said valve and supplies compressed air to actuators 274 on platforms 252. Piston rods 278 of these actuators are then moved toward the edges of the fabric, and the notched ends of the knuckling plates 284,286 of each knuckling fork 280 engage the adjacent crossed ends of two wire strands and bends them back along their lengths (in FIG. 9 two wires which have been bent by the knuckling fork at the left-hand edge of the fabric are illustrated), the crossed wires being held by pin 288 as they are being bent. After the two wire strands have been bent, the operator relaxes his grip on section 116 of handle 112 and spring 132 rotates pin 130 and said section 116 back to their initial position. When pin 130 disengages from actuating member 138 of valve 136, the valve closes, air is exhausted from the cylinders of actuators 274, and the springs in said cylinders return piston rods 278 to their inoperative position. The bending, or knuckling, operation is carried out as wire is advancing through tube 92, and when the end of this strand strikes contact 188 the latch mechanism 42 associated with clutch 28 causes the latter to disengage the drive motor in cabinet 20 from weaving shaft 30, halting the advancement of wire into said tube. As the operator lowers the control handle so that he can cut the woven strand, the head of screw 120 disengages from the actuating member 140 of valve 142, which closes said valve and exhausts air from the cylinders of actuators 262. The springs in the cylinders in said actuators 262 then retract the associated piston rods 270, and platforms 252 are thus lowered and pins 288 are disengaged from the wire fabric so that it can advance. It will be recognized that the knuckling operation must be performed only once for each pair of strands which are woven into the fabric, and as described the knuckling of strands which have advanced midway between rollers 210 and 212 occurs when shaft 108 is I shifted to its stop position adjacent blade 44,

The arrangement of the pneumatic actuating system illustrated in FIG. 4 is such that the actuators 262 and 274 mounted on each of the two slides 218,220 are supplied with compressed air from the storage tank within cabinet 20 when handle 112 is raised and the head of screw 120 is thereby engaged with the actuating button 140 of valve 142. When said valve is opened air rapidly flows through conduit 292 and conduits 294 and 296 to actuators 262, which lift platforms 252 to their operative position and engage pins 288 with the fabric. Airflow to actuators 274 is slowed, however, by the orifice 310 in conduit 306, and thus the piston rods 278 of said actuators are not extended until after platforms 252 have been lifted and pins 288 engaged with the fabric to hold the wire strands which will be bent by knuckling forks 280. When handle 112 is lowered, valve 308 quickly releases air from the cylinders of actuators 274, so that the springs in said cylinders can return piston rods 278 to the retracted position before platforms 252 are lowered by the release of air from actuators 262. v

The above-described machine can be used to weave chain link fence of different widths and diamond size by changing the position of hook assemblies 156 and block 174 on shaft 108 and the position of slide 218 on rail 216. Adjustment of the height of rollers 210 and 212 can be made to align the two knuckling forks 280 with the crossed ends of wires which are bent thereby. It will be recognized by persons skilled in the art of chain link fence weaving machines that the herein disclosed apparatus is much less expensive to manufacture than the fully automatic machines which are presently available, yet its semiautomatic operation enables an operator to weave the same type of fence which is produced by costly machines, without requiring a great degree of skill.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. ln chain link fabric weaving apparatus wherein wire is bent into zigzag form on, and advanced off, a weaving blade coaxially mounted inside a horizontally disposed, helically slotted tube, said apparatus including means for rotating said blade about its longitudinal axis, the combination comprising a clutch operatively associated with said apparatus for engaging said drive means with, and disengaging the same from, said weaving blade;

a support fixed in position relative to said blade and disposed on the end thereof from which said wire is advanced;

a shaft carried by said support so that its longitudinal axis is parallel with the longitudinal axis of said blade, said shaft being both rotatable about said axis and translatable therealong;

means operatively associated with said apparatus for limiting translation of said shaft between first and second positions on its longitudinal axis;

a handle mounted on said shaft for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the shaft and extending laterally therefrom, said handle being fixed against movement axially of said shaft;

means operatively associated with said apparatus for rotating said shaft to a first angular position relative to said support when said shaft is translated to said first position on said longitudinal axis thereof, and for rotating said shaft to a second angular position relative to said support when said shaft is translated to said second position on said axis;

first and second substantially hemicylindrical guides carried by said support and extending lengthwise thereof in parallel relation therewith, said first guide being concave toward said handle and fixed in position with its longitudinal edges respectively disposed above and below the longitudinal axis of said blade, the upper longitudinal edge of said first guide being disposed adjacent the vertical plane which includes the longitudinal axis of said blade, said second guide being concave away from said handle and pivoted at one longitudinal edge thereof for rotation about an axis lying adjacent the lower longitudinal edge of said first guide and parallel therewith, the other longitudinal edge of said second guide lying adjacent the upper edge of said first guide when said second guide is rotated to a first angular position relative to said first guide, said first and second guidesthen forming an axially slotted tube for guiding wire advanced off said blade;

means for positioning chain link fabric above and lengthwise of said first and second guide means and for moving said fabric upwardly unless it is restrained in posi tion, said means permitting the lower edge portion of said fabric to be clamped between the upper longitudinal edge of said first guide and the free longitudinal edge of said second guide so that said fabric is held'in fixed positionfor engagement with wire advanced off said blade;

means operatively associated with said second guide and said handle and arranged so that when said handle is rotated upwardly said second guide is moved to said first angular position thereof to thereby clamp said fabric in said fixed position, and so that when handle is rotated downwardly said second guide is moved away from said fabric;

a plurality of first and second hooks fixedly mounted in axially spaced relation on said shaft and extending upwardly therefrom, said first hooks being located on the side of said first guide remote from said handle and their upper ends being disengaged from said fabric when said shaft is in said first angular position thereof and being engaged with said fabric when said shaft is in said second angular position, said second hooks being located on the side of said second guide adjacent said handle and their upper ends being engaged with said fabric when said shaft is in said first angular position and being disengaged from said fabric when said shaft is in said second angular position;

means mounted on said handle and operatively connected to said clutch for selectively causing the latter toengage said drive means with, and disengage the same from; said blade; and

means carried by said shaft and operatively connected to said clutch for causing the latter to disengage said drive means from said blade when said wire is advanced to a predetermined point inside said slotted tube formed by said first and second guides.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said shaft between said first and second angular positions comprises: I

a lever arm fixedly connected to said shaft and extending laterally therefrom; and

a link pivoted at one end to the free end of said lever arm and pivoted at the other end to said support.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means operatively associated with said handle and said second guide for moving the latter when said handle is rotated comprises:

a link pivoted at one end to said second guide and at the other end to said handle.

4. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second hooks are mounted on said shaft by .means comprising:

a plurality of tubular members slidably and rotatably mounted on said shaft;

means for fixing said tubular members in selected axial and angular positions on said shaft;

a pair of lever arms slidably and rotatably mounted on each of said tubular members and extending laterally therefrom, each lever arm having an aperture in the free end thereof in which the lower end of a respective one of said hooks is disposed;

means for respectively fixing said lever arms in selected axial and angular positions on said tubular members; and means for fixing said hooks in selected axial and angular positions in the apertures in said lever amis.

5. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means carried by said shaft for causing said clutch to disengage said drive means from said blade comprises:

a support member slidably and rotatably mounted on said shaft;

means for fixing said support member in a selected axial position on said shaft;

an arm fixedly connected at one end to said support member and extending upwardly therefrom around one of said first and second guides and thence downwardly between said guides, an aperture extending through said arm in coaxial relation with the longitudinal axis of said blade;

a rod slidably disposed with the aperture in said arm and extending from opposite ends thereof;

a disk mounted on the end of said rod nearest said blade and disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rod;

a stop fixedly mounted on the end of said rod remote from said blade;

a spring disposed around said rod between said arm and said disk; and

an electrical switch mounted on said arm and the operating member of which is engaged by said stop until wire advanced from said blade strikes said disk and moves said rod away from said blade.

- 6. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means for positioning said fabric and moving the same upwardly comprises:

a pair of rollers mounted on said support in parallel relation with said first and second guides and disposed above and extending lengthwise thereof, the longitudinal axes of said rollers being substantially disposed in the same horizontal plane, whereby said fabric can be extended from said guides over the nearest roller, thence over the other roller and downward therefrom.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 wherein the height of said rollers above said first and second guides is adjustable.

8. The combination defined in claim 6 including: a rail fixedly mounted on said support and extending lengthwise of said rollers in parallel relation therewith, said rail being disposed under said rollers and equidistant therefrom;

a pair of slides slidably mounted on said rail;

means for fixing each slide in a selected position on said rail;

a pair of links pivoted at one end to each slide for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rail, the axes of rotation of said links being spaced apart in a horizontal plane;

an elongate platform pivoted to the other end of each pair of said links so that as said links rotate said platform is held in parallel relation with said rail;

a first actuator pivoted at one end to each slide and having a piston rod which projects from the other end thereof, the free end of said piston rod being pivoted to theplatform on the same slide;

a second actuator fixedly mounted on the upper side of each platform and comprising a piston rod which projects therefrom in parallel relation with said rail;

a knuckling fork mounted on the free end of the piston rod of each second actuator; and

a pin fixedly projecting from the upper side of each platform. 

1. In chain link fabric weaving apparatus wherein wire is bent into zigzag form on, and advanced off, a weaving blade coaxially mounted inside a horizontaLly disposed, helically slotted tube, said apparatus including means for rotating said blade about its longitudinal axis, the combination comprising: a clutch operatively associated with said apparatus for engaging said drive means with, and disengaging the same from, said weaving blade; a support fixed in position relative to said blade and disposed on the end thereof from which said wire is advanced; a shaft carried by said support so that its longitudinal axis is parallel with the longitudinal axis of said blade, said shaft being both rotatable about said axis and translatable therealong; means operatively associated with said apparatus for limiting translation of said shaft between first and second positions on its longitudinal axis; a handle mounted on said shaft for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the shaft and extending laterally therefrom, said handle being fixed against movement axially of said shaft; means operatively associated with said apparatus for rotating said shaft to a first angular position relative to said support when said shaft is translated to said first position on said longitudinal axis thereof, and for rotating said shaft to a second angular position relative to said support when said shaft is translated to said second position on said axis; first and second substantially hemicylindrical guides carried by said support and extending lengthwise thereof in parallel relation therewith, said first guide being concave toward said handle and fixed in position with its longitudinal edges respectively disposed above and below the longitudinal axis of said blade, the upper longitudinal edge of said first guide being disposed adjacent the vertical plane which includes the longitudinal axis of said blade, said second guide being concave away from said handle and pivoted at one longitudinal edge thereof for rotation about an axis lying adjacent the lower longitudinal edge of said first guide and parallel therewith, the other longitudinal edge of said second guide lying adjacent the upper edge of said first guide when said second guide is rotated to a first angular position relative to said first guide, said first and second guides then forming an axially slotted tube for guiding wire advanced off said blade; means for positioning chain link fabric above and lengthwise of said first and second guide means and for moving said fabric upwardly unless it is restrained in position, said means permitting the lower edge portion of said fabric to be clamped between the upper longitudinal edge of said first guide and the free longitudinal edge of said second guide so that said fabric is held in fixed position for engagement with wire advanced off said blade; means operatively associated with said second guide and said handle and arranged so that when said handle is rotated upwardly said second guide is moved to said first angular position thereof to thereby clamp said fabric in said fixed position, and so that when handle is rotated downwardly said second guide is moved away from said fabric; a plurality of first and second hooks fixedly mounted in axially spaced relation on said shaft and extending upwardly therefrom, said first hooks being located on the side of said first guide remote from said handle and their upper ends being disengaged from said fabric when said shaft is in said first angular position thereof and being engaged with said fabric when said shaft is in said second angular position, said second hooks being located on the side of said second guide adjacent said handle and their upper ends being engaged with said fabric when said shaft is in said first angular position and being disengaged from said fabric when said shaft is in said second angular position; means mounted on said handle and operatively connected to said clutch for selectively causing the latter to engage said drive means with, and disengage the same from, said blade; and means carried by said shaft and operatively connected to saiD clutch for causing the latter to disengage said drive means from said blade when said wire is advanced to a predetermined point inside said slotted tube formed by said first and second guides.
 2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said shaft between said first and second angular positions comprises: a lever arm fixedly connected to said shaft and extending laterally therefrom; and a link pivoted at one end to the free end of said lever arm and pivoted at the other end to said support.
 3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means operatively associated with said handle and said second guide for moving the latter when said handle is rotated comprises: a link pivoted at one end to said second guide and at the other end to said handle.
 4. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second hooks are mounted on said shaft by means comprising: a plurality of tubular members slidably and rotatably mounted on said shaft; means for fixing said tubular members in selected axial and angular positions on said shaft; a pair of lever arms slidably and rotatably mounted on each of said tubular members and extending laterally therefrom, each lever arm having an aperture in the free end thereof in which the lower end of a respective one of said hooks is disposed; means for respectively fixing said lever arms in selected axial and angular positions on said tubular members; and means for fixing said hooks in selected axial and angular positions in the apertures in said lever arms.
 5. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means carried by said shaft for causing said clutch to disengage said drive means from said blade comprises: a support member slidably and rotatably mounted on said shaft; means for fixing said support member in a selected axial position on said shaft; an arm fixedly connected at one end to said support member and extending upwardly therefrom around one of said first and second guides and thence downwardly between said guides, an aperture extending through said arm in coaxial relation with the longitudinal axis of said blade; a rod slidably disposed with the aperture in said arm and extending from opposite ends thereof; a disk mounted on the end of said rod nearest said blade and disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rod; a stop fixedly mounted on the end of said rod remote from said blade; a spring disposed around said rod between said arm and said disk; and an electrical switch mounted on said arm and the operating member of which is engaged by said stop until wire advanced from said blade strikes said disk and moves said rod away from said blade.
 6. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means for positioning said fabric and moving the same upwardly comprises: a pair of rollers mounted on said support in parallel relation with said first and second guides and disposed above and extending lengthwise thereof, the longitudinal axes of said rollers being substantially disposed in the same horizontal plane, whereby said fabric can be extended from said guides over the nearest roller, thence over the other roller and downward therefrom.
 7. The combination defined in claim 6 wherein the height of said rollers above said first and second guides is adjustable.
 8. The combination defined in claim 6 including: a rail fixedly mounted on said support and extending lengthwise of said rollers in parallel relation therewith, said rail being disposed under said rollers and equidistant therefrom; a pair of slides slidably mounted on said rail; means for fixing each slide in a selected position on said rail; a pair of links pivoted at one end to each slide for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rail, the axes of rotation of said links being spaced apart in a horizontal plane; an elongate platform pivoted to the other end of each pair oF said links so that as said links rotate said platform is held in parallel relation with said rail; a first actuator pivoted at one end to each slide and having a piston rod which projects from the other end thereof, the free end of said piston rod being pivoted to the platform on the same slide; a second actuator fixedly mounted on the upper side of each platform and comprising a piston rod which projects therefrom in parallel relation with said rail; a knuckling fork mounted on the free end of the piston rod of each second actuator; and a pin fixedly projecting from the upper side of each platform. 